Review: La chanson d’‘Yde et Olive’ et de ‘Croissant’ Chanson de geste de la fin du XIIIe siècle: Édition critique par Elena Podetti d’après le manuscrit T, L. II. 14 de la bibliothèque de Turin, ed. Elena Podetti, Les classiques français du Moyen Âge 203 (Paris: Honoré Champion, 2024). 369 pp. ISBN 978-2-7453-6140-0. €39.

Abstract

This verse continuation of Huon de Bordeaux has attracted scholarly attention but had been lacking a complete, accessible, and readable critical edition, until now. Yde et Olive tells the story of Huon’s grandchild, Yde/é, who, born a girl, chooses to pass as a man to escape their incestuous father, and is eventually transformed into an ‘hom carnés’ (man in the flesh). Elena Podetti also includes the sections of the continuation that concern themselves with Ydé and Olive’s son, Croissant, and with Ydé and Olive’s return to Aragon. These tales are not as well known, but are of great interest, especially in relation to the more famous section, so their inclusion in this edition is very welcome indeed.